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L. A. BEARDSLEYJ Machine for Peeling Willow Twigs.-

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0 28,824. Patented-June 26, 1860 mi ncmrew N. PUERS. Phuio-Lllhognphor. Washi n nnnnn C4 L. A. BEARDSLEY. Machine for Pgeling Willow Twigs. No. 28,824. Patented-June 26, 1860.

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UNITE STATES TENT OFFICE.

LEVI A. BEARDSLEY, OF SOUTH EDMESTON, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR REMOVING BARK FROM WILLOWS, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 28,824, dated June 26, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI A. BEARDSLEY, of South Edmeston, in the county of Otsego and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ma- I 2 is a perspective view of the machine, as

seen from the driving end, but with the feeding carriage removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the machine taken near the upright frame E. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the feeding carriage. Fig. 5, is a perspective view of the upper rubbing slab, reversed. Fig. 6, is a perspective view of the frame of the upper rubbing slab. Fig. 7, is a perspective view of one of the blocks (7) contained in the upper rubbing slab, and- Fig. 8, is a perspective view of the lower rubbing slab, reversed.

Similar characters of reference indicate the same part, in the several figures.

My invention relates to those machines, for removing the bark from willow or other twigs commonly used in basket making, in which the said twigs are rubbed or rolled between elastic surfaces for the purpose of loosening the bark; and my invention consists in the peculiar form and arrangement of the vibrating yielding surfaces whereby the bark is more effectually loosened upon the varying sizes of twigs; also in an inde pendent self operating feeding device, for presenting fresh and different parts of the twigs to the action of the rubbing surfaces; and a self operating raking or scraping apparatus for removing the loosened bark from the twigs, together with certain peculiarly formed guides to keep in place the twigs in their passage through the machine; the whole forming an automatic machine capable of producing more uniform and better results than those machines now in use.

To enable others to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A is a bed-plate supported at convenient I height upon legs B B B B B; at one end of this bed-plate is the main or driving shaft C, supported in suitable bearings. On the shaft 0, are secured three eccentric wheels a a a two of these eccentrics (a and er are connected to and give a reciprocating motion to the lower rubbing slab H by means of the connecting rods 6 6 while the other or middle eccentric a is connected to the upper rubbing slab, J, by the connecting rod 6 and is fixed upon the shaft C, in such relative position to the eccentrics a, and a as to give to the said rubbing slab J, a reciprocating motion opposite to that of the slab H. Below, and nearly under the edge of the bed-plate is a shaft D, having its axis at a right angle with that of the driving shaft C. This shaft D, is connected to, and receives a motion reduced to one fourth of that of the driving shaft C, by means of the train of toothed wheels 0, c c c c 0, two of which wheels 0 0 are right angled bevel wheels. Upon the shaft D, are secured four cams d, 0Z d d*.

E, and E are two upright frames rising from the bed-plate A, and firmly fastened thereto. These frames E, E are connected at the top by two cross-bars F, F and at the bottom by two rods G, G these rods serve also as supports and guides for the lower rubbing slab H. This rubbing slab (H) is formed of a thick plate of indiarubber 6, let into or otherwise firmly fastened to a plate of metal 6 on the bottom of this plate (6 are four lugs or projections 0 e e 6 (Fig. 8) bored out to slide on the rods Gr, G Two joints 6*, e serve for the attachment of the connecting-rods Z), Z2 before mentioned.

The upper rubbing slab J, is constructed as follows; of a rectangular frame 1 divided longitudinally into three compartments by two ribs 2, 2, equal in depth to the sides of the frame. To the frame 1 is secured a cover 3, which has its upper surface formed into recesses for the reception of water; and holes 4:, through the bottoms of said recesses admit the water to the interior of the frame 1. From each end of the frame 1, rises a lug or stirrup 5, by which the frame is suspended, as hereafter described; and at one end of the said frame 1, is a joint 6, for the attachment of the connecting rod 6 before described. The compartments in the frame 1, are filled with small blocks 7, of the form represented in Fig. 7, said blocks being guided in and prevented from falling out of the frame 1 by projections on the sides of the blocks 7, fitting into recesses 8, extending from the top nearly to the bottom of the sides and ribs 2, of the frame. The blocks 7 are pressed upon by annular springs 9, which bear against the cover 3, of the frame; and the said blocks (7,) are rounded at their lower ends, and fluted, which ends project below the bottom of the frame 1, and together form an undulating fluted surface capable of yielding and accommodating itself to the twigs of different sizes which may be presssed between therubbing slabs, and, as the undulations of the said surface are made shorter than the vibrating motion of the slab J, the larger twigs will at times be rolled into and lie in the hollows thus permitting the high, or more projecting por tions of the surface, to act upon the small twigs; thereby insuring the more perfect loosening of the bark of all the twigs which may be between the rubbing slabs, even if said twigs vary greatly in size. The finer flutings of the blocks 7, are to indent the bark that it may be the more readily loosened.

The rubbing slab J, constructed as above described, is suspended immediately over the slab H by the lugs 5, from a rod I, which rod passes through a slot in each of the upright frames E, E To the ends of the rod I are attached two connecting links or rods g, 9 the lower ends of which are jointed to two levers if, h, at or near the centers of the length of said levers; these levers have their fulcra at the end and are jointed to the bed plate A; their other and opposite ends rest upon the cams cl, 6Z2, these cams are so formed as to raise the rub-. bing slab J, high enough to allow the largest twigs to pass easily between the two slabs. One eighth of the revolution of the cams d, (Z is employed in so raising said slab (J and the slab J, remains in such raised position during another eighth part of the revolution of the cams (Z, (Z when it is al lowed to descend somewhat more rapidly than it was raised. Pressure is applied to the twigs when between the rubbing slabs, by a weight K, acting through a divided lever L, which is hung by one end to the cross bar F and has at f, a transverse axle bearing at each end a friction wheel f; these friction wheels rest on the top of the rubbing slab J.

Just above the surface of the .bed plate and on the sides of the frames E, E and of the short posts M, are four guides N, N, N, N, in which slide the sides of the feeding frame or carriage, which is constructed as follows:

h, 71, are two side pieces which are connected to each other at each end by a plate of metal 2" or 7? bearing upon its upper sur-t face a thick plate of india-rubber or other yielding and elastic material. From each side piece rise two short uprights to the ends y", of which are jointed two levers 7a, 71: said levers being there suspended near their centers. The outer ends of these levers 7c, 70?, terminate over the ends of the plates Z, 2' while their other or inner ends, curv ing upward, pass each other and lie under a roll on and near the end of the rod 1. The outer end of each of these levers is connected to the end of the corresponding lever on the opposite side piece, it, by a plate of metal Z, Z similar to and immediately over the plate 2', 1?, connecting the ends of the side piecesh, if, this plate Z, Z has on its under surface a plate of india-rubber secured thereto, and forms with the plate 2', i, a pair of jaws with elastic surfaces. The weight of the plates Z, Z, keep the inner ends of the levers 70, 70, 70 Z1 pressed upv against the rolls on the rod J, and when said rod (J). is raised, as before described, the plates Z, Z, descend upon their mates i, Z, firmly clasping the willow twigs which may lie between them.

From the front ends of the side pieces it, If, curved prongs m, m pass downward, and backward, having at their ends rolls m m*, which are kept bearing against the cams d, (Z by means of two spiral springsmflmf; said springs are secured to the bed plate A, and act upon a cross bar, m which forms part of the feeding carriage. By means of the aforesaid springs (m 411. and cams, (6Z (Zfl) the feeding carriage receives an occasional motion backward and forward; and the cams (Z 6Z are so shaped and are placed .011 the shaft D, in such relation to the cams (Z, (Z that when the rod I (carrying the slab J is raised to its full height, the feeding carriage will commence its forward motion, and will have completed that motion just before the rubbing slab J, commences its descent. The feeding carriage rema ns in its advanced position until after the rubbing block J, has completed its descent, when it (the feeding carriage) returns to its first position. In Figs. 1, and 3, the feeding car riage is represented in its most advanced position, and the rubbing slab J, as having commenced itsdescent. The uppersurfaces of the lower jaws 2', 2', of the feeding carriage are level with the upper surface of the slab H. Behind the jaws 2', Z, i, Z, and secured to the backs of said jaws are strips n, of thin sheet metal, so bent as to form flaring guides to facilitate the introduction of the twigs between the jaws. Similar flaring guides are placed just behind the two rubbing slabs H, J, (marked 11, in Figs. 2 and 3) and are secured to the two short posts M, M.

Just in front of the rubbing slab H and secured to the frames E, E is a rake or scraper O of sheet metal with pointed and F p 1e I so wedge shaped teeth formed in its upper edge; the centers of these teeth are about level with the top of the rubbing slab H. In front of the ends of the rake O, are two perpendicular rods 0, 0, connected at the top by a cross piece 0 these rods are guided in projections formed on the front edges of the frames E, E To the backs of the rods 0, 0", is secured a rake P, formed like 0, and placed far enough forward to pass readily down in front of the rake O; the teeth of the upper rake P are over those of the lower rake O. The rake P is held up against a v stop 2 at each end, by two spiral springs 32 22 which are secured to the cross bar F On the tops of the frames E, E are bearings for a small shaft Q lying parallel with the shaft D (under the bed plate). This shaft Q projects some distance beyond its bearing at one end and has secured to that end an arm R carrying at its extremity a weight R On this shaft Q and between its bearings are two small arms or pawls g, 9 the extreme ends of which are immediately over the cross piece 0 of the rods bearing the rake P. From the side of the pawl 9 projects a pin 9 which rests on a corresponding pin 9 projecting from the side of a lever r. This lever r, is hinged to the frame E, and continuing downward terminates just below the top of the side piece h, of the feeding carriage. A spiral spring 9, keeps the lever r, in position against the stop 1', projecting from the frame E. Thus the weight R is supported, in the position shown in the drawings, by the lever 1", when said lever is in position against the stop 1*.

On the inside of the side piece h, of the feeding carriage is a small spring catch 8, (Fig. 3) chamfered at its end but having a square edge in front. This catch 8, is so placed that, when the feeding carriage moves back, the chamfered end of the said catch shall pass under the end of the lever r (being wedged down in so passing) and shall snap up behind the end of the said lever, when the carriage shall have completed its backward motion; but when the carriage again moves forward the end of the lever 1" will be pulled forward until it draws off from the catch 5', when it will fly back against the stop 7 From the top of the frame E, projects a stout pin or stud S on which turns a cogged wheel T having a long hub with a pulley T on its end. The pulley T and gear T receive motion (in the direction indicated by the small arrow in Fig.3) by means of a belt or its equivalent which passes around a small pulley T fastened to the end of the shaft D.

Secured to the shaft Q, and in position to mesh with the cogged wheel T, is another cogged wheel U; a number of the teeth of this wheel (U,) are cut away, and in such part of the wheel that if the shaft Q, were turned in the direction indicated by the large arrow in Fig. 3, the wheels U and T would come into mesh when the weight R had nearly reached its lowest point, and said wheels would run out of mesh just before the shaft (and weight) had reached the position shown in the drawings.

At the ends of the upper rake P are two fastening pieces extending down and hold ing in place a shelf or guide of sheet metal t, which is between the lower rake O, and rubbing slab H, and is nearly level with the top of the rake 0, when the upper rake P, is against its stops.

The machine being driven by a belt running over the pulley V on the main shaft, and starting from the condition of its parts as indicated in the drawings, its action, and operation on the willow twigs presented to it will be as follows. The eccentrics a a a will impart to the two rubbing slabs H, and J, a rapidly reciprocating motion, the said slabs being guided and sliding on the rods Gr G and I, the motion of the one slab being always in a direction opposite to that of the other. The rubbing slab J, will descend, by reason of the revolution of the cams d, (P, until its surface nearly touches that of the slab H; the jaws 2', Z, and 2' Z of the feeding carriage will consequently be opened (by the lifting of the jaws Z, Z the feeding carriage will now move back, by the action of the springs m m, and cams (Z (Z (as described), the jaws Z, Z remaining lifted, and the spring catch .9, will snap up behind the end of the lever r. The machine being in this condition, a number of the twigs to be peeled are thrust between the jaws i, Z, of the feeding carriage and are pushed forward through the guides n 01?, until the ends nearly touch the edges of the rubbing slabs; by the time suflicient number of twigs can be so introduced, the upper slab J, will commence to rise and the jaw Z, will in consequence descend upon the twigs. clasping them tightly, the elastic surfaces of the jaws yielding and accommodating themselves to the varying sizes of the twigs. The feeding carriage will not run forward, carrying the twigs and introducing their ends between the rubbing slabs H and J. The spring catch 8, will draw forward the end of the lever r, and will thus remove the pin 9 from under the pin 9 the weight B being thus unsupported will press (through the pawls q, upon the cross piece 0 of the rods 0, 0, and being adjusted so as to preponderate over the sustaining power of the springs 37 39 the said weight will press down the rake P until the teeth of said rake shall have passed below the teeth of the rake O, at which point, the ends of the pawls g, will, by their departure from a tangent line, be drawn off from the crosspiece .and the rake P-will spring up against its stops. The weight R ,will, continue to fall until the teeth of the wheel: U, are brought intomesh with those of the wheel T, when the said weight ,will be carried around in the direction indicated by the large arrow (in Fig. 3) until brought into such position that therunning out of mesh of the wheels U, and T, will allow the weight R to be again supported by the; pin 9 in the end of the lever 7-, which lever will have returned to its first position in the manner hereinbeforedescribed.

The feeding carriage having completed its forward motion, the slab J, will descend upon the portion of the twigs lying under it, and such portion of; the twigs as may thus be between the rubbing slabs are then submi tted to their rolling rubbing and indenting action; the action of the upper slab J, upon the twigs being substantially such; as hereinbeforel described, and the yielding nature of the surface of the lower slab I-Iaffording additional compensation for the varying sizes of the twigs. WVater: is kept continually flowing upon the cover of .the upper slab (J ,),-and finding its way: through the holes in said cover-and between thev blocks (7,) contained in the slab' (J), moistens the portion of the twigs being rubbed,- and softening the bark, greatly facilitates ;its removal. After the slab J, has 1 fully. 1descended upon the twigs, the feedingcarriage will run back; and the rubbingslabs, having made a numberof vibrations, the upper one (J will rise, and the feeding carriage again. running forward will introduce fresh portion of the twigs between the rubbing slabs. At the commencement of this forward motion of the feeding carriage; the rake; P,,w;ill perform, its descent as before, accomplishing this and again springing up, :beforethe carriage has moved forward far enough tobring the ends of the twigs under thesaid rake; but at the termination of this forwardinotion of the feeding carriage, the ends of the twigs will lie over the edge of the lower rake, far enough to enter between the forward jaws i Z of the carriage, when it again moves back, which it-will doafter the slab J, has once moregdescended .upon the twigs. the feeding carriage, the front jaws. i Z will be closed upon the front ends of the twigs; and the rake P, will co1n1nence- ;its descent as before, but. will be arrested by the twigs lying under: it, and will remain pressed down upon said twigs,.whi'ch=are wedged; in. the angular recesses between the teeth of. the two rakes P, and O, and being drawn forward by the jaws 2' 1?, are stripped-of the bark previously loosenedby the action of the rubbing. slabs. 1 The motions of the feeding carriage and rubbing slabs Upon the next forward motion ofcontinue as, before; successive portions of the twigs being submitted, first to the action of the slabs (J, and 11,), and then drawn through the teeth of the rakes (I and 0,) by each motion of the feeding carriage. lVhen the whole length of the longest twigs has thus been drawn through the rakes, the rake I being, no longer supported, is carried down until the ends of the pawls 9, Q2, slip off from the cross bar 0 when its action and that of the weight R will be as hereinbefore described, the whole machine being in condition as at first. It will be seen that a continual supply .of twigs will insure a continued action of the machine as above described.

I am aware that yielding and elastic surfaces vibrating in opposite directions have been employed for. the loosening of the bark of willow, twigs; but said surfaces have both, been of india rubber or other homogeneous material continuous in itself, and have been in form curved, being the surfaces of rollersvibrating in the direction of their axes; their surfaces being so curved presented but little surface to the action upon the twigs,. and were thus liable to rapid wear. I am also aware that an automatic feeding of the twigs to the action of the rubbing surfaces, has been accomplished by a rotation, of the vibrating rollers above mentioned; but such feeding occurs during the time that thepressure of the rubbing surfaces is upon the said twigs which pressure being very great causes much wear to the bearings of the rolls and the mechanism for giving them motion. I therefore do not claim the use of vibrating yielding surfaces for the purpose of loosening the bark of twigs; nor do I claim an automatic feeding device when said feedingdevice acts to move the twigs during the action of the rubbing surfaces upon the twigs.

I do not claim the use of a picking device forremoving the loosened bark from the twigs, as such devicehas been employed by others.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters. Patent, is-

1. A; rubbing slab having its acting surface of undulating form, as described, the said surface being formed of yielding segments; the whole being constructed substantially as herein before described and for the purpose specified.

2. The rubbing slab H, having a flat elastie and. yielding surface, acting in combination with anotherproperly formed slab, and a feedingdevice acting substantially as herein specified.

3. Receptacles for water forming part of the rubbing slab, as described.

4.. Giving to the rubbing slabs or one of them a motion, .at. times, and by means of the camsd, (Z, or their equivalents, which ing the time when the pressure of the rubbing surfaces upon the twigs is relieved; and that the feeding device ceases to act upon the twigs at a time when the pressure of the rubbing surfaces is upon the twigs.

7. In combination with a rubbing mechanism for loosening the bark, and a feeding device, an automatic raking or scraping device constructed substantially in the manner described and for the purpose specified.

LEVI A. BEARDSLEY. Vitnesses C. B. RICHARDS, WV. R. DISORWAY. 

